Buy Israel

Here's one very concrete way you can help: It's time for Jews around the world to "Buy Israel."

I still remember my dad going out to get gas for his truck. He was carrying a book and a snack. The Gas Station was only around the block, next to the bus yard. Out my window I could see a long line of multi colored cars cutting through what looked like an endless sea of yellow school busses on either side. You see was 1973 and there was an oil shortage in the United States, getting gas was an adventure.

The oil shortage in the US caused havoc on the economy, it took years to get out of the recession. I think what it hurt most was the automotive industry. Fuel-efficient imports took market share away from US made cars. Some Americans fought back with a "Buy America" campaign. It urged Americans to purchase products made here to help the US economy.

Today, the Israeli economy though strong, is threatened. It's time for Jews around the world to "Buy Israel."

Since Arafat started his latest war against Israeli Jews eighteen months ago, an increasing amount of resources has had to be diverted toward security. On top of that, The PA's campaign of targeting civilians with terror has hurt tourism, a major part of the economy.

Beyond the visible terror, calls for boycotting Israeli products and product of companies that trade with Israeli are growing:

Showing their unfailing support for the Palestinian campaign of terror, the European community has tried to hurt the Israeli economy. This past November; the European Union showed its solidarity by increasing tariffs on Israeli products manufactured on the West Bank and Gaza, making them more expensive to purchase.

Beyond the Official European supported economic warfare, there are many Palestinian support groups urging a boycott of Israeli Products with varied success. In London this year, a British Arab organization CAABU led picketing outside Harrods department store and led them to ban Israeli products for a time, until Jewish organizations protested.

It is up to us in the Diaspora to make a concerted effort to support the Israeli economy.

Scottish Actor Richard Wilson has been campaigning to have Israeli-made products banned from supermarkets in Scotland, he has also called for a boycott of Israeli tourism, an end to UK firms' investment in Israel, and the cancellation of British government trade agreements with the country. He is also planning to lead protests against any store that has a product labeled made in Israel.

The growing call for a boycott is by no means limited to Europe. The Internet can lead you to sites from all over the world, imploring people from all to stay away from Israeli products.

Jews all over the world are about to celebrate Passover. This is a holiday that remembers that God took us out of slavery, unifying us as a people and ultimately gave us the Torah. As a people we will sit with our families at the Seder table just as we did the night before our redemption. We need to continue to act as a people when we leave the Seder table. One way is to help Israel fight this economic war. It is up to us in the Diaspora to make a concerted effort to support the Israeli economy. We must seek out and purchase Israeli made products. BUY ISRAEL. It only takes a little investigation.

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About the Author

Jeff Dunetz is a 20-year marketing veteran, and a freelance writer. He is
married and the father of two kids who ask lots of questions about being
Jewish that he can't answer. Jeff has been active in Jewish organizations
since his USY days. Presently he is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the
Dix Hills Jewish Center.

Hello,
My name is Irene and I live in Portugal. I am ashamed as an European citizan for the way Europe is behaving towards Israel. I would like you to know that not all Europeans feel the same way. I admire the Jewish people a lot and I am very sad that Europe and the Catholic church haven't learned anything with History. As for me, I am starting to shop "white and blue". Thanks for your suggestions.

(3)
Anonymous,
April 8, 2002 12:00 AM

Buy Israel by Jeffey Dunetz

I was thinking along these lines and am tracking down retail products and outlets available in Canada to list in my own synagogue bulletin here in Ottawa

(2)
Anonymous,
April 3, 2002 12:00 AM

Buy often at Synagogues, etc.

Many trips to Israel, lots of fond memories and souveneirs.

(1)
Colin Goldberg,
April 1, 2002 12:00 AM

Another site to watch

I was extremely interested to read this article, as it coincides with one of the objectives of the "Five Synagogues of White Plains" website www.whiteplainsforisrael.org, which is about a week or so old. I would be glad to communicate with anyone who wishes to comment/criticize/make suggestions for our site.

Sincerely
Colin Goldberg

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I'm told that it's a mitzvah to become intoxicated on Purim. This puzzles me, because to my understanding, it is not considered a good thing to become intoxicated, period.

One of the characteristics of the at-risk youth is their use of drugs, including alcohol. In my experience, getting drunk doesn't reveal secrets. It makes people act stupid and irresponsible, doing things they would never do if they were sober. Also, I know a lot about the horrible health effects of abusing alcohol, because I work at a research center that focuses on addiction and substance abuse.

Also, I am an alcoholic, which means that if I drink, very bad things happen. I have not had a drink in 22 years, and I have no intention of starting now. Surely there must be instances where a person is excused from the obligation to drink. I don't see how Judaism could ever promote the idea of getting drunk. It just doesn't seem right.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Putting aside for a moment all the spiritual and philosophical reasons for getting drunk on Purim, this remains an issue of common sense. Of course, teenagers should be warned of the dangers of acute alcohol ingestion. Of course, nobody should drink and drive. Of course, nobody should become so drunk to the point of negligence in performing mitzvot. And of course, a recovering alcoholic should not partake of alcohol on Purim.

Indeed, the Code of Jewish Law explicitly says that if one suspects the drinking may affect him negatively, then he should NOT drink.

Getting drunk on Purim is actually one of the most difficult mitzvot to do correctly. A person should only drink if it will lead to positive spiritual results - e.g. under the loosening affect of the alcohol, greater awareness will surface of the love for God and Torah found deep in the heart. (Perhaps if we were on a higher spiritual level, we wouldn't need to get drunk!)

Yet the Talmud still speaks of an obligation on Purim of "not knowing the difference between Blessed is Mordechai and Cursed is Haman." How then should a person who doesn't drink get the point of “not knowing”? Simple - just go to sleep! (Rama - OC 695:2)

All this applies to individuals. But the question remains - does drinking on Purim adversely affect the collective social health of the Jewish community?

The aversion to alcoholism is engrained into Jewish consciousness from a number of Biblical and Talmudic sources. There are the rebuking words of prophets - Isaiah 28:1, Hosea 3:1 with Rashi, and Amos 6:6, and the Zohar says that "The wicked stray after wine" (Midrash Ne'alam Parshat Vayera).

It is well known that the rate of alcoholism among Jews has historically been very low. Numerous medical, psychological and sociological studies have confirmed this. The connection between Judaism and sobriety is so evident, that the following conversation is reported by Lawrence Kelemen in "Permission to Receive":

When Dr. Mark Keller, editor of the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, commented that "practically all Jews do drink, and yet all the world knows that Jews hardly ever become alcoholics," his colleague, Dr. Howard Haggard, director of Yale's Laboratory of Applied Physiology, jokingly proposed converting alcoholics to the Jewish religion in order to immerse them in a culture with healthy attitudes toward drinking!

Perhaps we could suggest that it is precisely because of the use of alcohol in traditional ceremonies (Kiddush, Bris, Purim, etc.), that Jews experience such low rates of alcoholism. This ceremonial usage may actually act like an inoculation - i.e. injecting a safe amount that keeps the disease away.

Of course, as we said earlier, all this needs to be monitored with good common sense. Yet in my personal experience - having been in the company of Torah scholars who were totally drunk on Purim - they acted with extreme gentleness and joy. Amid the Jewish songs and beautiful words of Torah, every year the event is, for me, very special.

Adar 12 marks the dedication of Herod's renovations on the second Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 11 BCE. Herod was king of Judea in the first century BCE who constructed grand projects like the fortresses at Masada and Herodium, the city of Caesarea, and fortifications around the old city of Jerusalem. The most ambitious of Herod's projects was the re-building of the Temple, which was in disrepair after standing over 300 years. Herod's renovations included a huge man-made platform that remains today the largest man-made platform in the world. It took 10,000 men 10 years just to build the retaining walls around the Temple Mount; the Western Wall that we know today is part of that retaining wall. The Temple itself was a phenomenal site, covered in gold and marble. As the Talmud says, "He who has not seen Herod's building, has never in his life seen a truly grand building."

Some people gauge the value of themselves by what they own. But in reality, the entire concept of ownership of possessions is based on an illusion. When you obtain a material object, it does not become part of you. Ownership is merely your right to use specific objects whenever you wish.

How unfortunate is the person who has an ambition to cleave to something impossible to cleave to! Such a person will not obtain what he desires and will experience suffering.

Fortunate is the person whose ambition it is to acquire personal growth that is independent of external factors. Such a person will lead a happy and rewarding life.

With exercising patience you could have saved yourself 400 zuzim (Berachos 20a).

This Talmudic proverb arose from a case where someone was fined 400 zuzim because he acted in undue haste and insulted some one.

I was once pulling into a parking lot. Since I was a bit late for an important appointment, I was terribly annoyed that the lead car in the procession was creeping at a snail's pace. The driver immediately in front of me was showing his impatience by sounding his horn. In my aggravation, I wanted to join him, but I saw no real purpose in adding to the cacophony.

When the lead driver finally pulled into a parking space, I saw a wheelchair symbol on his rear license plate. He was handicapped and was obviously in need of the nearest parking space. I felt bad that I had harbored such hostile feelings about him, but was gratified that I had not sounded my horn, because then I would really have felt guilty for my lack of consideration.

This incident has helped me to delay my reactions to other frustrating situations until I have more time to evaluate all the circumstances. My motives do not stem from lofty principles, but from my desire to avoid having to feel guilt and remorse for having been foolish or inconsiderate.

Today I shall...

try to withhold impulsive reaction, bearing in mind that a hasty act performed without full knowledge of all the circumstances may cause me much distress.

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